Defender Buchanan in confident mood ahead of Millwall showdown

Defender Dave Buchanan believes the Cobblers can ‘beat anybody at home’ as they prepare to face Millwall at Sixfields this weekend.

Sixth-placed Town go into the clash with Lions having recently surrendered their 10-month unbeaten home run by losing 3-2 to Bristol Rovers in their most recent Sixfields encounter.

The Gas scored a stoppage time winner to condemn Northampton to their first home league defeat since December 19, 2015, but Buchanan feels he and his team-mates committed defensive ‘suicide’ on that day, and that it won’t happen again.

Millwall are without a win in Sky Bet League One since August 27, and travel to Sixfields having lost four on the spin in the league.

That run has seen them slip to 19th in the table, and Buchanan says there is belief in the Cobblers camp as they get set to face the wounded Lions.

“We’ll go into the game full of confidence, as we think we can beat anybody at home,” said the left-back, who has been captaining the side in the absence of Marc Richards from the starting line-up.

“I don’t know the stats but we don’t lose many when we go 1-0 up and I thought (against Rovers) we committed suicide and showed unprofessionalism to not see the game out.

“But that’s perhaps being a bit harsh on ourselves.

“Bristol Rovers are a decent side and we’ll be looking to get back to winning ways this week.”

Saturday will be Buchanan’s 72nd consecutive appearance in a Cobblers shirt, having not missed a game since signing for the club from Preston North End in the summer of 2015.

He has been a massive influence on Town’s rise to prominence in the past 16 months as they secured the league two title, and now sit in the play-off places in league one.

The one thing that is missing from his CV is a goal in the claret and white, but the the 30-year-old admits he is happy to just concentrate on doing what he’s paid to do - defending.

Asked about scoring that first goal for the club, Buchanan said: “I hope it comes soon, but I’ve always said my main aim is to keep clean sheets.

“I’m a defender first and foremost but we’ll see and when it comes I’m sure the fans will go crazy!